Hahaha I'm back! Does anyone even really read this anymore? Well. I decided to update after getting bored and rereading this and getting all inspired to write again. It's been so long haha. Sorry if I'm a little rusty.

Also nothing about Konoha here hahaha. I really did try to write about them but it didn't feel right? Maybe next chapter. (But who knows how long it'll be hahaha. I'm so sorry.)

Chapter Ten: Answers.

It was a beautiful night- the stars poked out of the deep blackness and shined like crystals in the sky. If was as Ino and Hinata had stumbled onto a dreamscape somehow as the world around them became almost hazy.

The cool air brushed against Ino's neck and back but she knew better than to assume that was the reason her hair was standing up straight- her body tensing. It was the question that still hung in the air between the two girls.

Hinata just looked at her. Ino had never thought it was hard to look into those eyes before- they were an almost milky white. Ino found herself mesmerized by them more often than not. Yet in this moment she found herself scared of them, because while they were so beautiful they also had a dull coldness. Yet they still remained sharp as if they could cut her.

These eyes were like the poetry Ino used to read back home. She didn't quite understand but they made her sad.

"You've changed," Ino finally said moving her hand to brush her hair out of her own eyes. Hinata's expression changed slightly softening. "I think your father would be proud." Hinata laughed at her- Ino didn't like the sound if it. Usually Hinata's laughs made Ino want to smile too. They had a twinkling sound to them as if each giggle was the result of falling gold coins but this laugh was much sadder and drawn out.

"Oh because staying with some of the deadliest criminals is something every father wants for his daughter," Hinata's hair swayed behind her in the wind. She moved her gaze away from Ino. "He's not proud." She said this quietly. Ino barely heard it.

"You're stronger now," Ino heard the sound of her voice cracking. "No. You've always been strong. I don't understand even myself right now. I didn't like myself at the village. I was envious of you, you know." Ino meant this.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" Hinata took a step closer to Ino. "Ino. Everyone loved you. You were a talented medic and a beauty. I wanted nothing more than to be like you or Sakura. My entire life I have felt less then. Inferior. It was like no matter how far I extended my arms everything was still out of reach. I spent my entire life trying to grab at the sun but that's just it. It's too far away."

"But that's just it!" Ino felt tears beginning to slip. "We don't have to feel like that anymore. Don't you see! Anything is possible. It's like the first time I left the village- but bigger. Hinata, we are so much bigger here. If you reach out your arms now you will be able to grasp anything."

"Except for the sun."

"At the village you were reaching for the wrong things," It was Ino who stepped closer to Hinata this time. "You can reach for other things now. Don't you feel it? This soft feeling like everything in the world is okay. I don't even know the word for it but I can tell you it's right. Tell me you've felt it! Please. I can't be the only one feeling like this."

"Isn't that wrong?" Hinata had tears welling up in her eyes as well. "It's wrong to feel like this. Ever since we were children we have been told that these feelings - these people- are wrong. Why do I have to feel like this now? Ino," Hinata's voice broke here. She shook her head before she continued.

"The situation is wrong. We've been prepped for this. I can hear all my past teacher's words in my head: That if you find yourself in this situation you should try to run away, fight till the death or…,"

Hinata closed her mouth suddenly wiping the tears from her eyes. She was very much visibly shaking.

"You die with your secrets any way you can," Hinata looked back up at Ino. "Do you know how many times in the beginning I thought about it? How many openings I had? You were asleep for so long and I didn't know if you were even alive. You were so weak looking when you woke up so I couldn't say anything when I saw you. Deidara used to leave my room more than Sasori did in yours. He figured I couldn't leave with a broken ankle and if I tried he could just kill me," there was darkness in her voice at the word kill.

"Deidara wouldn't kill you," Ino interrupted Hinata tears filling her eyes. "I know that."

"I didn't have that luxury in the beginning," Hinata said looking away again. "I only had one luxury. His room is full of sharp tools for clay and explosives. He was probably half expecting me to. I could have done it, Ino. I had so many openings but the day before when you finally came out-" Hinata became choked up again. This time she didn't regain composure. She fell to her knees crying.

Ino didn't know what to do- her own tears flowing out in higher volumes. She went beside Hinata and put her arms around the girl whispering nothing important into her ear. After shaking some more Hinata began to speak again.

"Deidara came in that day." Hinata didn't look up from the ball she was in. " He asked me how I was. I ignored him turning my back to him to face the wall. He sat beside me on the bed-I tensed up. I had snuck a sharp blade used to crave at dried clay and had it resting on my throat. I kept on thinking: this is it. This is my last moment. I've thought that so many times but I really believed it then. I was just so scared. But I looked at him- I told myself I would turn look at him as I died because he reminded me of you in a way. Even though I was ignoring him he kept on talking. Soon I joined him. It was the first real conversation I had with him. And I didn't hate it. After that he introduced me to more of the associates and they acted so differently then I imagined. They were people. And then I saw you- you looked so weak but so strong. You cried like I was afraid of. You let all your emotions out and weren't scared. That's when I knew that we had to survive. That we had to for each other."

Ino didn't say anything. She just imagined Hinata sitting in that room. She saw her lying there. She tried to think what she would have done if Hinata wasn't waiting for her that day. Could she have lived with herself? Suddenly she saw Sasori's eyes the first time they met. They were beautiful. She remembered the first time she was able to look into them. She was so ready to die then.

"Promise me you will never think about dying again," Ino said finally shaking. "I thought about dying when they first captured us- before I knew that they got you too. It was so selfish. We have to live Hinata. We have no choice but to live."

"I promise," Hinata looked up and wrapped her arms around Ino. They stayed like that for a while.

"You are stronger too," Hinata said finally her voice sounding more like her own. Ino giggled as well.

"You still haven't answered my question," Hinata broke up the hug looking serious.

"I don't see why I have to answer," Ino said putting on a pout and looking away. "I'll tell you if you tell me how you feel about Deidara."

"I don't see how that is relevant, Ino," Hinata said looking up at the sky blushing bit her words beginning to have a slight stutter. "You are just avoiding the question."

"Because you are avoiding mine!" Ino smiled innocently, the odds quickly turning to her favor. "Are you hiding something, Hinata-chaaaaan."

"Deidara is a nice guy," Hinata said firmly trying to recompose herself.

"Exactly how nice, Hina?" Ino let her eye brows waggle. Hinata groaned.

" Ino, you are not avoiding this," She said hotly pursing her lips.

"Why do you even care so much?" It was Ino's turn to feel embarrassed and it confused her because she didn't even exactly know how she felt with Sasori. It was different than anything she had ever felt before and it confused her.

"Deidara told me about him," Hinata said quietly. "How he's not… you know."

Ino could not believe this. She felt herself getting angry despite it being Hinata.

"He still has a human soul," Ino said bitterly perhaps with too much poison. She could feel a guilty sensation wash over her when she saw Hinata's face.

"Does he even have any emotions?" Hinata said with a clearness. Ino shook her head. "I heard the jutsu to perform a body transfer requires many scarfices."

"He didn't kill me," Ino said looking away. "A person is still in there Hinata. You don't live in his room. He's gentle and maybe just awkward. He can still feel things."

"How do you know that?"

"He's kinder then most people I know with bodies, Hinata!" Ino let her voice raise. "How could you say that?"

"I don't want you to get hurt, Ino," Hinata said looking at softly. "I don't want you to feel something that you won't get back."

"I should be more worried about Deidara blowing you up," Ino tried to laugh but it didn't feel right somehow.

"Ino," Hinata started to say something but then stopped. "No. I understand."

"You what?" Ino was not expecting Hinata to back down.

"When you said Deidara could blow me up I felt the strongest urge to defend him," Hinata laughed. "We are strange girls."

"It keeps life interesting?" Ino laughed and lightly punched Hinata in the shoulder. Hinata smiled at her.

"Our fathers would be so displeased with us."

"Probably our mothers too."

"Even romance heroines aren't as dumb as us," Hinata was beginning to succumb to giggles. So was Ino.

"Romance heroines read novels about us," Ino said in-between giggles. Soon both girls were holding their sides doubling over in laughter. It was weird Ino thought how you could feel so many emotions in the matter of minutes and have them all release in laughter.

"I'm glad it was you,too, Hinata," Ino said finally looking up at the sky.

"I'm also glad it was you," Hinata had also stopped laughing lying down to look at the sky too.

"Why weren't we friends?" Ino asked making shapes in the stars. " You know, back in the village. I can't remember why."

"Social standing I guess," Hinata mumbled. "Like we weren't supposed to talk to one other. It's kind of embarrassing now, isn't it?"

"I don't think you get it, we are kind of embarrassing,"

"Well you certainly are, un," A recognizable voice came out. Both Hinata and Ino sat up blushing, although Hinata definitely was redder then Ino.

"I don't think I have ever seen you hair that messy, Ino," that voice was most definitely Sasori's. Now Ino's blush was giving Hinata'sa run for its money. Ino unconsciously began to brush it down suddenly aware of how puffy her eyes must have looked from crying so much.

"Wow, spying on girls?"Ino tried to put out like she wasn't completely embarrassed. "I mean I expected as much from Deidara but you Sasori? I would have liked to think higher of you." She could hear Hinata giggle beside her.

"I think they are what you call perverts," Hinata said in between giggles.

Ino could hardly contain her laughs as Deidara nearly face vaulted. He looked so hurt and even in the moon light so could tell his face was beginning to flush as well.

"Hinataaaa how could you, un," Diedara complained looking away. "You more than anyone should know that's not true."

"I'm sorry," Hinata said as she got up, putting her hand on his arm. "Did you come looking for us?"

"Yeah," he said looking away again. Ino had to stifle a laugh. All of the sudden a hand was put in her face.

"What's that for?"

"Just take it or are you going to sit that forever," Sasori mumbled. Ino took it as he lifted her up. "Come on you need some sleep."

"Bye, Hinata!"Ino tried to wave but it ended up looking rather weak. She yawned and nodded. She actually suddenly became so tired suddenly. So tired that she didn't even protest to Sasori picking her up and bringing her into the room.

Diedara was envious of how cool Sasori was. He could never just pick Hinata up like that.

"So did you talk to her?" He asked looking down to Hinata.

"Yeah."

"Did you get your answers?" Diedara asked frowning. She had a hard to read look on her face.

"I think so," she looked up and smiled at him warmly. "I'm surprised you didn't fall asleep already."

"How could I fall asleep without you?" Deidara snorted before realizing what he said. "I mean… What kind of guy would I be if I didn't come looking for a girl?" He could feel his face heating up as he wnet to grab for her hand.

"I'm glad I got you," Hinata said smiling letting him take it.

"What do mean by that, Hinata?"

"I'm not telling you!" Hinata and Deidara continued like that walking back to the compound. Hinata really understood Ino like she said she could. She only imagined what she would have said if the tables were turned and Ino had asked about Diedara. Maybe she would apologize tomorrow or perhaps she would thank Ino.

She'd decide which in the morning.